Lawn mower of the rotating sickle type



Feb. 23, 1954 w. s. WATROUS 2,669,826

LAWN MOWER OF THE ROTATING SICKLE TYPE Filed Feb. 16. 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l 4 46 O 6 /3 7 I I 27 2 /5 h L, nu I /9 2:5 f I l I I r 5a u-F/ I 2 I I 5 55 53 54 4 X5 ze 5 2 LO Q I P I z) I /6 l Z9 9 3/ 32 J/ 1 i V 1'": 5 40 42 ilk I INVENTOR.

Wwara/V J. Ww-eaqs 5% J WYM ATTORNEY! F 1954 w. s. WATROUS 2,66

LAWN MOWER OF THE ROTATING SICKLE TYPE Filed Feb. 16, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 23, 1954 w s, WATROUS 2,669,826

LAWN MOWER OF THE ROTATING SICKLE TYPE Filed Feb. 16. 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 bz/ l' I 24/ INVENTOR. M/vs 7'0 .9. 1447719005 /9 All ATTOENE'VS shown-in Fig: 1.

Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED stars-s mm OFFICE LAWN OF THE-ROTATING .SICKLE TYPE Winston s." Watrous, Milwaukee; "-wis. Application-Fehruary 16, 1949', semi a... 77,021

.I'his invention relates to ,alawn mower of the rptatingsickle type.

, It is a primary object. of. the invention Ito 'pro- .vide a mower of the aforesaid type which is nearly in balance upon supporting wheels located at the rear'of-i-ts cutting blade, the hlacle..itself heing provided Witha a swiveled symmetrical support which positively precludes seal-ping withoutin anymanner interfering with free movementin all directions other than downwardly. I

. Itisa further major objective of thepresent invention to provide novel andimproved means for sWi-ngingthe entire cutting head -irom side to side with respect to. the rear wheels. and handle, QthliS permitting wide spacing ofsthe. .rear wheels- .for greater stability -while nevertheless .iacilitating the use of the. device for trimming purposes by permitting :the blades to. be. moved from their normal symmetricalor center position to -one-sidefor. the other of the path. of the .Lrear-WheelS, subject-tothe instant. control of the operator The swiveled shoewaforesaidis important to thismovement. k

1 vA furtherrmajor objective of the; invention is an arrangement whereby. a combination of a special' blade formed with a--specia1-.housing structureadapts the more to receive grassand-weeds :fromthe :sideot the housing. This is extremely important vfor the purpose if-trimming in immeldiate proximitytozfixed objects-asuohas fences,

.trees buildings. tombstones: and the like; since one or anore stems. or blades; of grassrin immediate proximity toza :flxed 'obsta'cle' may be completely inaccessible: to a 1 conventional :mower of this type but can readily -be-ieut.-ithroughzthe use. ofa-thisieature. -A mower equippedwith this special 1 mechanism completely -eliminates the .neerlzforianyextra.trinrimingu- Y 'Z'Iheamanner in "which .these-robjectives are achieved willappear; more particularly. from the rfollowing-v disclosure of the invention with refer-- ence to: the accompanying :drawing 'lVhiCh Fig. 1. is .planview of a device embodying my invention in its simplest aspect.

. Fig. 2 is a view inside-elevation of thede-Vice Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailview in inverted plan oiithedevice shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 2.

Fig. i is an enlarged detail iew 'in' cross sec- .tion,on:theline.- i-4 of v Fig.5 shows amodified embodiment of the invention as it appears in plan with the l engine removed.

FigL.6 is a'view partiallyin side elevation-and partially. in longitudinal section :along thev line 32*Cla'imsi (01556 254) tive showing a housinng modified for use in trimming in accordance with afeatureoithisin ti .z, M .1 :25

. FigzlO is a fragmentary detail view in perspective showing a special lolade formi riesira bly usedin conjunction-with the. housing of Eig fi.

s- 11 is a Jra men r ta li w n a verse cross section through. the housing .Of Fig-9 and along the. line I --.i I thereof, and showing F -fl Q iOL th ewi the l de Io ig-- 9: ,;v

.12 a fraginentary detail viewiin plan showing. the application of this-inventionto a lawn mower such as is employedforv parks or eolicqll a q ihelike. H 1

Although the; invention. herein. disclosed .isapplicable "in all respects. to Y lawn mowers of the type in whi h he er u h e a wer-rpmpellegl, I have oho sen,.- for thesakeat-simplicity. :to show a constructionin which only the-hlades are. power propelled, the, ground wheels I 0 being free. to. rotate onthe stuhaxles H carriedgby a. yoke l-ggvvith whichthe, for-ks 13 of the handle liareconnected. I

.ln the, construction shown in Figs. 1 to-A; the housing 15 is rigidly connected with the i-ax-le yoke. In the ;construction shown in Figs. 7,

'theaxle yoke 12B .andgtha ho using I50 are pivotally connected. by' mean s;o f= ,a pintle'holt 2.1346. In other respects, the housing; is substantially. the same in these embodiments; It. comprises aflat top wall at {1 and a generally cylindricalsidewall at 1B. provided withi a generally radial extension channel ia rearwardly between the wheels as bestshownin Fig. 3. M

The top wall is. apertured, the aperture heing spannediby amounting plate 20 which-is, bolted or otherwise secured to xthe,aperture margins. Sleeve 2.1,;integral with th-isplate (Fig. ili carries the outer races ofthe. anti iriction bearings :22 23, for the supportof thextubular drive shaft 24. The'pulley 25 on this shaftisdriven by-belt 26 from the pulley 21,011 the crankshaft of en- .gine 28. s l

device to get out of balance.

The tubular shaft M is encircled by a collar 29 between the inner races of bearings 22 and 23 and another collar at 30 against which seats the cup 3| mounted centrally on the blade carrying arm 32. This arm rotates with the shaft, being clamped thereto by means of bolt 33 extending through the tubular shaft 2% and adjustable by means of washers 34, 35, 36, 31 (Fig. 4) held by a nut 38, threaded to the bolt. By removing washers above the pulley 25 and adding them below the blade carrying arm 32, the height of the cutter arm 32 may be varied, to vary the cut. The interchange of washers between a position above the pulley and a position below the arm 32 has the effect of varying, with respect to arm 32, the position of the ground support new to be described.

In effect, the bolt 33 is a part of the tubular shaft 24, since it rotates unitarily therewith. At

the lower end of bolt 33 I provide, first of all, a

head against which the blade carrying arm 32 is clamped. This head may conveniently comprise a nut 39 secured by lock nut 13. An extension 4| of the bolt projects below the lock nut and is shouldered at $2 to receive, with pressed fit, the inner race of a bearing 43, whose outer race is socketed, with pressed lit, in the hub 54 of a downwardly convex shoe all, which is preferably spherical and, whether or not spherical, is convex and symmetrical with reference to the axis of the shaft, providing direct support forthe shaft from the ground to limit the approach to the ground of the blades carried by the shaft and hereinafter described.

Since the shoe or skid i5 is downwardly convex, it is necessarily concave in an upward direction. To avoid accumulation of grass clippings and other debris therein, it is preferred to apply over it a baffle 45 which is clamped between the bolt head 33 and the blade carrying arm 32. The baille need not fit closely to the shoe since it discharges centrifugally any clippings or other material which is contacts. Any washers used below the blade will be inserted between the baffle 45 and arm 32.

Each blade 58 is desirably beveled upwardly to provide a cutting edge at 5% and each desirably has an upwardly turned rear margin at 5 1. Both the bevel and the upwardly turned rear margin operate to produce an upward current of air within the'cylindrical housing it, such current being delivered rearwardly through channel I9. The upward current lifts grass blades and the leaves of weeds and tends to holdthese under upward tension while the cutting edges 5% effect severance at the required spacing from the ground.

The convex skid 55 supports the mowing head at a fixed distance above the ground, the distance being adjustably determined by the positions of the washers 35, 35, 3t, 3?. The action of this skid in traversing the ground seems to be even more easy and frictionless than the action of wheels or rollers. The shoe instantly accommodates itself to changes in direction, tending to rotate upon its axis (which is also the axis of the blade carrying shaft) when minor irregularities are encountered. Since the shoe is always symmetrical with respect to the axis upon which the cutting blades rotate, it is impossible for the It does not incline one way or the other. In actual practice, the blades never out into or scalp" the sod.

The symmetrically centered convex shoe finds particular utility in the device of Figs. 5 to 7 grips 59, 60 at the upper end of the handle.

wherein the entire powerhead is pivoted for lateral movement with respect to the handlepositioned axle and wheels. A convenient way to adjust the pivoted powerhead includes Bowden wire control elements 54, 55 mounted on the handle l4 and connected with the housing extension H3 at opposite sides of the fulcrum bolt 46. At their upper ends the control wires connect to levers 56, 51, respectively, these levers being fulcrumed at 58 and associated with the y pulling the lever 5'5 toward the associated grip 60 within the clasp of the operator's hand, the operator can cause the entire powerhead to swing bodily to one side about the fulcrum bolt [6 in the manner indicated in Fig. 5, where the lever 51 has been drawn toward grip B0 to swing the powerhead to the left as viewed from the position of the operator. This enables trimming to be done beyond the path of the lefthand wheel I0. By relaxing the pressure on the control lever 5'? and correspondingly pressing control lever 56 toward handle grip 59, the entire powerhead may be swung to the right toward the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to trim grass beyond the path of the righthand wheel. In all such swinging movements, the convex shoe moves as freely to the side as it moves forwardly or rearwardly and it has the same swiveled action in pivoting upon any minor irregularities in the turf which it may encounter in the course of its bodily swinging movement. For this purpose, in particular, it functions much more effectively than a caster which would require time to change its position and which, in swivelling, tends to create a degree of unbalance. In all positions, the convex skid herein disclosed is invariably centered beneath the axis of the shaft upon which the cutter bar and blades rotate.

Although desirable, it is not essential that the supporting shoe coaxial with the cutting head be swiveled to the shaft. Fig. 8 shows an arrangement in which the shoe 45! and the baffle 66! are unitary, being mounted on a post 6| wh ch extends through the tubular shaft 2M and does not rotate therewith, the post 6| being carried by a bracket 62 mounted by bolts 62% or the like on the top ll of housing i5 and preferably integral with the shaft bearing sleeve 2 I I. If desired, the shoe 45| and shaft 61 may be mounted for the swivelling movement which is regarded as important for reasons already described. This may conven ently be done by mounting a bearing race 63 in bracket 62 and screw threading the inner race 64 to the upper end of post 6!. The inner race may be provided with a terminal nut at 65, whereby it may be held while a wrench is applied to the squared extremity 66 of post ii! to adjust the post and the shoe supported thereby upwardly and downwardly for varying the clearance between the ground and the mowing head. A look nut 61 may be used to maintain the adjustment. Ball bearings '63 between the races 83 and 54 facilitate the swivel movement.

Figs. 9, l0 and 11 relate to a feature of the invention which is particularly usable in conjunction with the swinging cutting head disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, but is also adaptable to other mowers of this general type.

The housing IE2 is identical in form with those already described but is provided in one or both of its sides with a door or gate 10 which may be opened and closed in any desired manner to expose the lateral opening H. In the preferred construction illustrated, the gate is hinged to the ermgees housing topwall 52 and slotted at 14 to receive s: bolt T meunted on hehousing; The sbcl-tr' is -provided \tr-ith awing snu-t H? -overlyinee'the "flangea'l's tor-securing-it in'adjustednositiona l Theuse'o 'the 'd'oor or gateis onlyznecessary where some -sort er a3 guardfor the -opening -ff is required. In other words, where satetmdoes not require the use --offthe'guard ongate "I10, this can" be omitted' completely, leaving thewopeni-ng Thf ully exposedif.

lt niight be" supposed thatan air blast setwin motion owtherapimy rotating bladesaawouldes: capethrough"the opening .1 l'3 Howeverytheopem. ing does not extend 'eleantoythe tops of the: housing I152 and; particulanlywherea specialbladeis used, thereis actually a considerable :influxt developed atttheeopening tirrwhicn draws into ithewhousfng any tall" stems-f? grasswr weeds: whichnareglate erally aldj acent=the housing -.andzwhich .woul'dmot otherwise be-accessible toathe blades, For the sake frsafety; and also in orderrto; developtmaxi'w mum: velocity oi the incoming air: current-,u it is preferred' that the opening H. should-not extend through too great an are, found it satisfactoey'toimake @thegb angular t extent of the opening It small; enough sonthat thechord subtendedhy theianglewill: *notlintersect :lthepath ofmoveme'nt: orfthehlades:

The special form of bladesashown-iniig 1,0

the: mower? isaadanted; ta: dowti immingtwcrk heretofore deemed impossible; with-mowers of thiatyne: Handzfltrimmins; may berrcomplete y eliminated; for, theemnwelgc Withdraw/mend cut rass 1012'; weedstemss crrleaves-zrwhi'chi mew ha n directbcontactc-with flxedwohstacl such; ass tre s; tcmbstones; .fence on endin s Fig; 12' exemplifle buttons:ofiznumemusmcssi: bili i sz vin-mthawam of! summertime: a: 2 1 1 head equippeduvitmthe sw'ivelrshoet of this invention at the end of an away nnected wit ail-wheeled frame-of; someisortw- The howingx iseypuriel'y idiagrammatic to illustrat evpoints Thefiamfllfl isuurcridediwith wheelssafitand finnnsand guided: by handle licl qnmpedatantcrvelswm i; s. 3.5a 9.0, carrying the:v rcsnec.

jachshaittw. Theapulleysz off'th'erespective cutting heads- E mai be: driven: by heltsrfih 82; of differing length accordingto the lengthoftha respective arms; 89 9 05 which: desirablir arrange the cutting heads'r in: slightly staggered' relationship so that; collectively thewwilli mow substane tial'ly the entire width of? the surface traversed by the frame 82 'Iherespectivearms-:89; Bill are pivotall y supported: at their forward: ends from 'y mean ofi the shait- Bfl whi'c-h actszas their-a reariends'g the a'tins; and the In practice; Izhavecuttlngeihmdss-tl ficonnectediitherewitm;float mm the: terraimtraversed, 'being isunpontedibya-meie; respectiveswiveledi'shoeewliichsmayecomespond git any o'f the constructions il1ustrated"inx Figs.-

I elaim'v 1. In a lawn mower of the type comprising.

saidshoe=and said arm;

' 3iA mower of thecharacteni described: comeprisingthe-combination" with? a: generally cylinje drieali housing-z and aw shaft provided with b.8832? ings for rotation "substantially axially thereof? 01 a; groundv support pivoted directly to thee shaft. and having ground contact" substantially"axially of the shaft,- a transversebar carried by the shaft, and a sickleblade'carried byythewban and rotatable: on 1 apatlr around i said 'suppoi'ti 4: The device of claim 3* iniurther combines tion with adjustablespacingy: means-for varying the distance between saidsupport and saidhar. the "said 1 bar" having "a? fixed positionaxiallw of saidshaft'respeotingsaidhousing.

5; The: device; of claim- 4 which said sup. port comprises" a downwardly convex- SL'I IOB'EDIOe vided with a bearing in said shoe-, inwhich-said shaft isrotatablejs 6*. A- mower' offlfithe-- character described comprising the combination; with-a housing having, a; generally cylindrical Wall. and a-z'delivery opening-,;,of; a'rshaft provided'with a: bearingmentraHy in said housing: a bar carriedf b'y theshaft and provided with free"endshavingasicklte blades diametrically disposedwespect-ing" the ax-is of the shaft; a bearing, adjacent the lower end of the shaft helow said bar, and a- -coaxiahground sum port comprising. a shoe" carried by' said 1 bearing; whereby, said shaft;- is" swiveled respecting the shoe, the said'shoe' being -downwardlyconvex for ground Contact coaxially with said shaft;

"73 The"combinationgwitha; housing and; a tubular"- shaft; journalrd therein-in an--upright position, offeasickle-armmounted on the-shaft for; rotation: in the," housing; a-sickle bladecarriedifby: them-m; .12 Wheel-Edi support remote-:from

said shaft; a- "rod extending through theashafti and a, shoe, carried by the" rod below said" arm and lgositipnedi'fnr"gltenndiiengagement substanti'alh;v on the axis" aboutriwhich said arm: rotates withsaidshaftrsaid shoe-being swiveledtorrelae disposed: forward-13s thereitcm fon- "os illation from side to 'siderespecting said assembly, said head including an upright shaft with a eonvexly bottomed swiveled ground support constituting the third point, a transverse sickle bar carried thereby and provided with sickle blade, means,- and a guard enclosing the path of said blade means.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in further combination with means for mechanically adjusting the said cutting pivotally respecting the assembly and guiding handle.

11. In a power mower, the combination with a wheel axle assembly and a guiding handle connected therewith, said assembly centrally provided with an upright fulcrum, of a housing unitpivoted on said fulcrum and there-- by connected with said assembly, said housing unit comprising a generally cylindrical guardwall disposed forwardly of said fulcrum, upright shaft disposed within said wall, sickle blade means mounted on the shaft to rotate within the wall, a prime mover mounted on said unit and provided with driving connections to shaft, means for oscillating said housing unit respecting said assembly, and a rotative convex s... coaxial with said shaft which supports said housing in any position of oscillation.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 with means upon said handle for oscillating the hous ing unit respecting said assembly.

13. The combination set forth in claim 12 in which said oscillating means comprises a lever, a grip on said handle with which said lever is associated, and motion transmitting connections from said lever to said unit at one side of the fulcrum aforesaid. v

14. In a device of the character dcscrlbed, the combination with a wheel and axle assembly provided with a guiding handle and having an upright fulcrum, of a housing unit pivoted on said fulcrum and comprising an upright shaft forwardly of the fulcrum, and a guard wall about said shaft, a sickle bar disposed transversely of the shaft and provided with blade means ro tatable within the wall, a shoe coaxial with the shaft and with respect to which said'shaft is rotatable, said shaft having a bearing in said shoe, and means ror determining the angular position of said housing unit respecting said assembly.

- 15. The combinati which said angular position determining means comprises a pair of levers on said handle, a pair of wires connecting the respective levers with opposite'sidesof the housing unit and a pair of hand grips on said handle with which the levers ar'erespectively associated. 16. Ina device of the character described, the combination with a tubular shaft, of a transverse' sickle bar and'blade means mounted on the shaft for rotation, a rod extending through the shaft and axially adjustable with respect thereto, and a convex shoe mounted on the rod beneath the shaft, said shoe and shaft are provided with bearing means permitting the shoe to swivel respecting the shaft and substantially coaxially therewith, said shoe having ground contact substantially axially of the shaft.

17. The device of claim 16 in which the rod is-connected to rotate with the shaft and constitutes an extension part thereof having a bearing in said shoe. 18. The device of claim 16 in which the rod is unitarily connected with the shoe and provided with abearing independently o-fthe shaft, in

n set for in claim 14 in 8 which the rod and shoe swivel .-respecting the shaft.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination with an upright shaft provided with a sickle bar and blades at the respective ends thereof, of a downwardly convex shoe provided with a central bearing in which said shaft is rotatable.

20. In a mower of therotary sickle type, the combination with a blade provided with a mounting for rotation, a housing of generally circular form in plan enclosing the pathof blade rotation and provided with a delivery channel, said housing having at one side an inlet port for re-v ceiving material to be cut by said blade.

21. In a mower of the rotary sickle type, the combination with a wheeled frame adapted to be advanced in a given direction and comprising a housing having a generally cylindrical wall and a delivery outlet, said housing having a lateral inlet port substantially offset from the direction of advance, a shaft rotatable centrally in the housing, a sickle bar carried by the shaft, and a cutting blade mounted on the sickle bar for rotation past said port.

22. The device of claim 21 in which the angular extent of said port is so limited that a chord of housing subtending the angular extent of the port substantially clears the path of movement of said blade.

23. The device of claim 21 in which said blade has an upturned fan portion with a rearward rake from its outer end inwardly whereby to give an inward and upward impetus to air received through said port.

In a device of the character described, a mobile housing with a generally cylindrical wall having a wheeled support for advance in a given direction and provided with a rearwardly directed channel for the delivery of air and clippings, said wall having a lateral inlet port of less height than the wall, a shaft substantially centered in the housing with an upright axis, sickle arms carried by the shaft and symmetrically disposed blades carried by said arms to rotate within the housing adjacent said wall, the said blades being provided with cutting edges and with upturned rear marginal portions constituting fans, said upturned portions having a rearward rake from their outer ends inwardly whereby air engaged thereby will be urged both inwardly and upwardly, whereby an inward current through said lateral inlet port will be established by the movement of said blades to draw pneumatically into such port stems and leaves to be severed by such blades.

25. The device of claim 24 in which said port is provided with a guard.

26. The device of claim 24 in which said port is provided with a guard, said guard comprising a door for opening and closing the port and provided with an adjustable connection with the housing for predetermining the position of the door respecting said port.

27. In a device of the character described, the combination with a wheeled frame, of a rotary mowing head, an arm pivotally connecting such with the frame, said frame having horizontal pintle means about which said. arm is vertically oscillatable, said head including a housing connected with the arm, an upright cutter shaft rotatable within the arm, and a sickle blade connected with such shaft and disposed within the-housing, and a ground support coaxial With the shaft and extending therebeneath and upon which said head floats in its oscillation upon said pintle means.

28. A device of the character described comprising a powerhead including a housing with an annular wall, an axial cutter shaft rotatable in the housing and provided with an arm and a cutter blade, a shoe swiveled beneath said shaft and substantially coaxially therewith to engage the ground on the axis of cutter shaft rotation for determining the spacing of said blade therefrom, and an arm connected with said housing and provided at a point remote therefrom with a fulcrum upon which said arm and housing are movable.

29. The combination set forth in claim 28 in further combination with a wheeled frame connected with said fulcrum and supporting the iulcrumed end of the arm and provided with a prime mover having driving connections to said shaft.

30. A mower comprising the combination with a wheeled frame having transverse pintle means, of a set of arms extending rearwardly from said pintle means and individually oscillatable in vertical planes with respect thereto, mowing heads floating at the ends of said arms and staggered to mow lapping paths behind said frame, ground supports individually carrying the respective mowing heads, and a prime mover mounted on said frame and operatively connected to drive the respective heads at the ends of said arms.

31. The device of claim 30 in which each of said heads comprises an annular housing wall, an upright shaft centered therein, sickle blade means carried by said shaft, and a shoe substantially coaxial with said shaft for ground contact substantially axially of the shaft.

32. The device of claim 31 in which said shoe is swiveled to afford shaft rotation independent- 1y of the shoe.

WINSTON S. WATROUS.

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